Panel Calls for Improved Veterans Care

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Panel Calls for Improved Veterans Care

By HOPE YEN
Wednesday, July 25, 2007; 5:27 PM

WASHINGTON -- A presidential commission on Wednesday urged broad
changes to veterans' care that would boost benefits for family members
helping the wounded, establish an easy-to-use Web site for medical
records and overhaul the way disability pay is awarded.

The nine-member panel, led by former Sen. Bob Dole, R-Kan., and
Donna Shalala, health and human services secretary during the Clinton
administration, also recommended stronger partnerships between the
Pentagon and the private sector to boost treatment for traumatic
brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.

A 29-page report was presented to President Bush in the Oval Office,
just after the Senate addressed some of the issues Wednesday morning
by passing sweeping legislation to expand brain screenings, reduce red
tape and boost military pay.

-snip-

Bush said he has instructed Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson
and Defense Secretary Robert Gates to take all of the recommendations
seriously and implement the ones they have the power to enact. He
called on Congress to make the recommended changes under its
authority.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/25/AR2007072501119.html

[fed-up]

1. "Bush said he has instructed Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson" (Jim resigned on Mon) nt

[Eugene]

2. Point taken, but Nicholson plans to leave "by Oct. 1."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-07-17-nicholson-va_N.htm